Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) for Indians in 2026: How to Fill It Online Before You Fly
By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes step-by-step first-international-trip guides for Indians — passport rules, visa cascade timing, immigration walkthroughs, and the unglamorous logistics that separate a smooth trip from a stranded one.) · Published · Last updated · 11 min read
Indians enter Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days, but every traveller must now complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival. Here's the official free portal, the 3-day submission window, a field-by-field walkthrough and the lookalike-site trap that costs Indians money.
Quick answer
Yes — every Indian traveller to Thailand must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival, even though entry is visa-free. As of June 2026, Indian passport holders get visa-free entry for up to 60 days, but the TDAC is a separate, mandatory pre-arrival declaration. It is free, completed online at the official portal tdac.immigration.go.th, and must be submitted within 3 days before your arrival date (counting the arrival day). Each traveller — including children — needs their own TDAC. The TDAC is not a visa; it simply tells Thai immigration who is arriving, where you're staying and your health status. Rules change, so always confirm on the official portal before you fly. See our Thailand visa page for the live snapshot.
Visa-free entry vs the TDAC — two different things
The single biggest confusion among Indian travellers is conflating the visa with the arrival card. They are separate:
- Visa-free entry — As of June 2026, Indians do not need a tourist visa for stays up to 60 days. You simply turn up with a valid passport and get an entry stamp. This is the visa side of things.
- TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) — A mandatory online form that replaced the old paper TM6 arrival card. It is required regardless of whether you enter visa-free, on a visa, or on a long-stay permit. Without it, you can be delayed or turned back at immigration.
Think of the TDAC as the digital version of the little card you used to fill on the plane. It is free and takes about five to ten minutes. Because Thailand is one of the most popular first-international trips for Indians, getting this right matters — line up your flights first by checking live Delhi and Mumbai fares to Bangkok in the FlightGPT chat, and see typical timings on the Delhi to Bangkok route page.
The 3-day window (and why you can't do it too early)
The TDAC has a strict timing rule: you can submit it only within 3 days before your arrival date, inclusive of the arrival day. So if you land on the 10th, the portal opens your submission window on the 8th. You cannot complete it weeks in advance, which trips up organised travellers who try to sort everything early.
Practically, set a phone reminder for three days before departure. Complete the form, receive the confirmation by email, and save a copy (PDF or screenshot) to your phone. Thai immigration may scan or check the confirmation, though much of the process is now linked digitally to your passport. Don't leave it to the airport — Indian airport check-in staff for carriers like Thai Airways, IndiGo and Air India increasingly ask to see arrival-card proof before boarding long-haul and international sectors.
Step-by-step: filling the TDAC online
Use only the official portal — tdac.immigration.go.th. Here is the flow as of June 2026:
- Open the official site and start a new arrival card. You can scan your passport's machine-readable zone (MRZ) to auto-fill, or type details manually.
- Personal information — name exactly as printed on your passport, passport number, nationality, date of birth. Use English only; the form does not accept other scripts.
- Trip details — flight number, arrival date, purpose of visit (tourism), and your accommodation address in Thailand (hotel name and area).
- Health information — answer the health questions; if you've recently been in a country flagged by Thailand's Ministry of Public Health, extra fields appear.
- Review every field. A wrong passport number is the most common error and can cause a mismatch at immigration.
- Submit, enter your email, accept the terms, and download/save the confirmation.
Each member of your group files separately — a family of four needs four TDACs. There is no payment step on the genuine portal; if a site asks for money, you're on a reseller, not the government site.
The lookalike-website trap (this costs Indians money)
The official TDAC is completely free. But search results are crowded with lookalike domains and 'visa service' sites that charge ₹500–₹2,000 to fill the same free form for you. Some are harmless paid-convenience services; others are low-quality or risky with your passport data. As a first-time traveller, you do not need any of them — the official form is simple.
To stay safe: type tdac.immigration.go.th directly rather than clicking the first search ad, check for the .go.th government domain, and never pay a fee for the TDAC itself. If you want a paid service to handle it, that's your choice, but know that the government charges nothing. When a rule or portal is this prone to imitation, the safe move is to confirm the current official URL via Thailand's tourism authority at tourismthailand.org before entering any personal data.
Documents and money to carry alongside the TDAC
The TDAC is the digital declaration, but Thai immigration can still ask Indian visitors for supporting proof — especially first-timers arriving on cheap fares. Keep these ready:
- Passport valid at least 6 months from arrival, with blank pages
- Confirmed return or onward ticket within the 60-day window
- Confirmed hotel booking matching the address on your TDAC
- Proof of funds — Thailand has historically expected visitors to show access to roughly 20,000 THB per person (or 40,000 per family), so carry a working international card and some cash; spot checks are uncommon but do happen
- Travel insurance — not a strict entry requirement for short visa-free stays, but sensible cover; Indian insurers sell Thailand policies from roughly ₹300–700 for a week
Carry an Indian zero-forex-markup card (Niyo Global, Fi, IndusInd Crest) for spending — you'll dodge the 3.5% conversion fee most bank cards charge abroad.
At Bangkok immigration — what to expect
Most Indians land at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) or Don Mueang (DMK). Arrivals are usually smooth: present your passport, the officer pulls up your TDAC digitally or you show the confirmation, and you receive a visa-free entry stamp valid up to 60 days. Have your hotel address and return ticket handy in case of a question. Keep the entry stamp date in mind — overstaying carries a daily fine (500 THB/day as of June 2026, capped, but it complicates future entries).
From the airport, the Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi into the city is cheap and fast; Grab (the local ride app) and metered taxis also work. For a fuller plan, see our Bangkok destination guide, compare Bangkok vs Phuket in our comparison guide, and price your dates both ways in the FlightGPT chat before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need the Thailand Digital Arrival Card in 2026?
Yes. Even though Indians enter Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days, the TDAC is a separate mandatory online declaration that every traveller must complete before arrival. It is free and submitted at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before your arrival date.
Is the Thailand TDAC free?
Yes, the official TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th is completely free. Lookalike sites and visa-service agents may charge ₹500–₹2,000 to fill the same free form, but you do not need them. Always use the official .go.th government portal.
When can I fill the Thailand arrival card?
Only within 3 days before your arrival date, counting the arrival day itself. You cannot submit it earlier. Set a reminder for three days before you fly, complete it, and save the email confirmation to your phone.
Does each family member need a separate TDAC?
Yes. Every traveller, including children and infants, needs their own TDAC. A family of four must submit four separate arrival cards. Each is free.
What happens if I don't complete the TDAC before arriving in Thailand?
You risk delay or being turned back at immigration, and Indian airport check-in staff may ask to see proof before boarding. It only takes 5–10 minutes, so complete it within the 3-day window to avoid problems.